I started writing this months ago but this is a great wintertime meal as well. See the notes for appropriate substitutions. Enjoy!

I’m enjoying the last night before students return out on the terrace. Tomorrow the chaos begins but in this moment the breeze is cool, the wine is cold, and my table is laden with the best my farmer’s market has to offer. Fruit and veg have had all summer to come to their most perfect peak and the payoff is happening right now. My latest jaunt yielded 2 huuuuge eggplants for $.50 /each and a floral bouquet sized bunch of basil for $1.99.

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The lovely thing about this time of year and living where I live is that I can get excellent ingredients at a fantastic price and cook in or outdoors. Tonight’s dinner was informed almost entirely by what is on sale or in season. I keep meaning to do a post about food shopping, but I rarely go to supermarkets anymore. Maybe once a month i’ll go stock up on protiens, but my weekly shopping happens at specialty stores and markets like East Village Cheese Shop and the Hudson Farmer’s Market (don’t worry, they do have food and not just palm crosses).

A word about my Dad. He’s awesome. He’s taught me a lot of things over the years: how to drive, pre-calculus, that you’ll never be bored if you have a book close at hand, and most pertinent to this blog, that good food can nurture the body, heart, soul, and relationships. I love you, Daddy.

My pops, he loves ice cream, and his favorite is peach ice cream. Of course, I can’t do things the easy way, so we spiced things up.

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My first time flying solo! For a dessert anyway. I came up with this one based on previous ice cream making adventures and common sense, no instructional recipe to follow but the inspiration is Shake Shack’s Coffee & Donut Custard. From what I’ve read, it’s a creamy coffee base with chunks of cake donut. In previous recipes it was more coffee-heavy with coffee grounds adding texture. The Shack always seem to offer it on a day of the week when I can’t / don’t want to trek uptown, so I decided to make my own. My goal was a creamy base with really intense coffee flavor and cake donut mixed throughout. Originally I went for a chocolate and a toasted coconut donut, but then I ate the coconut one (haha).
Lets do this!

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Those that know me know that I started a new job today. I’m insanely excited about it and it feels good to be connected and motivated about what I do again. Last night I did some baking to (a) give me something to do besides wander around my apartment freaking out and (b) have a nice little treat to bring on my first day.

The brown sugar gives the bread more depth of flavor and an earthiness that keeps the citrus from being too overwhelming. If making by hand, cream liquid ingredients with the sugar and sift in flour and leavening agents. If you’re lazy like me, throw it all in the food processor and go to town. Blend just till mixed – overblending/processing will bring out more of the gluten in the flour and you’ll get a flat, glue-y brick.

Bake bread at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out with few crumbs. NOTE: The extra yogurt makes the loaves slightly cake-y, you’ll never get a clean toothpick unless you overbake and dry it out completely and thats not yummy. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes then pour glaze over top.